Functional Characterization of Aspergillus nidulans ypkA, a Homologue of the Mammalian Kinase SGK

In a previous study, alcS, a gene of the Aspergillus nidulans alc cluster, was shown to encode a protein that belongs to the GPR1/FUN34/YaaH membrane protein family. BLAST screening of the A. nidulans genome data identified additional genes encoding hypothetical proteins that could belong to this family. In this study we report the functional characterization of one of them, AN5226. Its expression is induced by ethanol and ethyl acetate (two inducers of the alc genes) and is mediated by the specific transcriptional activator of genes of the acetate-utilization pathway FacB. Growth of a null mutant (ΔAN5226) is notably affected when acetate is used as sole carbon source at low concentration and in a high pH medium, i.e. when protonated acetate, the form that can enter the cell by passive diffusion, is present in low amounts. Consistently, expression of AN5226 is also induced by acetate, but only when the latter is present at low concentrations. 14C-labelled acetate uptake experiments using germinating conidia demonstrate an essential role for AN5226 in mediated acetate transport. To our knowledge this report is the first to provide evidence for the identification of an acetate transporter in filamentous fungi. We have designated AN5226 as acpA (for acetate permease A).

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Functional characterization of a xylose transporter in Aspergillus nidulans

Biotechnology for Biofuels ◽

10.1186/1754-6834-7-46 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 46 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Ana Colabardini ◽

Laure Nicolas Ries ◽

Neil Brown ◽

Thaila dos Reis ◽

Marcela Savoldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Xylose Transporter

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Functional characterization of the putative Aspergillus nidulans DNA damage binding protein homologue DdbA

Molecular Genetics and Genomics ◽

10.1007/s00438-007-0307-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 279 (3) ◽

pp. 239-253 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joel Fernandes Lima ◽

Iran Malavazi ◽

Márcia Eliana da Silva Ferreira ◽

Marcela Savoldi ◽

André Oliveira Mota ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Functional Characterization

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Identification of members of the Aspergillus nidulans SREA regulon: genes involved in siderophore biosynthesis and utilization

Biochemical Society Transactions ◽

10.1042/bst0300781 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 781-783 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

H. Oberegger ◽

I. Zadra ◽

M. Schoeser ◽

B. Abt ◽

W. Parson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Primary Control ◽

Siderophore Biosynthesis ◽

Iron Supply ◽

Potential Impact ◽

Almost All ◽

Transcriptional Induction ◽

Insight Into

Iron is an essential trace element for almost all organisms. However, an excess of this metal within cells can be deleterious on account of catalysis of cell-damaging hydroxyl radicals. Therefore, the concentration of iron within cells is tightly regulated and the primary control occurs by regulating its uptake. Under conditions of low iron availability, most fungi mobilize extracellular iron by excretion of low-molecular-mass ferric iron chelators, termed siderophores. Due to the potential impact of iron metabolism on fungal pathogenicity, a better insight into siderophore-mediated iron uptake is needed. In Aspergillus nidulans, siderophore biosynthesis and uptake are negatively regulated by the GATA-type transcription factor SREA. Hence, genes involved in siderophore biosynthesis and uptake are characterized by transcriptional induction under iron limitation in wild-type strain and de-repression in an sreA-deletion strain under conditions of sufficient iron supply. Such genes have been searched for using different strategies, e.g. differential mRNA display and expression analysis of candidate genes from various A. nidulans sequence databases. The identified genes presumably encode enzymes needed for siderophore biosynthesis, and transporters involved in siderophore uptake and/or excretion. The functional characterization of these genes will help to unravel the pathways involved in siderophore biosynthesis and uptake.

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Functional Characterization of a Maize Purine Transporter by Expression in Aspergillus nidulans

The Plant Cell ◽

10.1105/tpc.13.4.953 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 953-964 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Eleftheria Argyrou ◽

Vicky Sophianopoulou ◽

Neil Schultes ◽

George Diallinas

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Purine Transporter

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Functional Characterization of a Maize Purine Transporter by Expression in Aspergillus nidulans

The Plant Cell ◽

10.2307/3871352 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 953

Author(s):

Eleftheria Argyrou ◽

Vicky Sophianopoulou ◽

Neil Schultes ◽

George Diallinas

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Purine Transporter

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Functional characterization of the Aspergillus nidulans methionine sulfoxide reductases (msrA and msrB)

Fungal Genetics and Biology ◽

10.1016/j.fgb.2009.01.004 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 410-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Frederico Marianetti Soriani ◽

Marcia Regina Kress ◽

Paula Fagundes de Gouvêa ◽

Iran Malavazi ◽

Marcela Savoldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Methionine Sulfoxide ◽

Methionine Sulfoxide Reductases

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Functional characterization of human brown adipose tissue metabolism

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bcj20190464 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 477 (7) ◽

pp. 1261-1286 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marie Anne Richard ◽

Hannah Pallubinsky ◽

Denis P. Blondin

Keyword(s):

Adipose Tissue ◽

Brown Adipose Tissue ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Human Infants ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Brown Adipose ◽

Treatment Of Obesity ◽

And Function

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been described according to its histological features as a multilocular, lipid-containing tissue, light brown in color, that is also responsive to the cold and found especially in hibernating mammals and human infants. Its presence in both hibernators and human infants, combined with its function as a heat-generating organ, raised many questions about its role in humans. Early characterizations of the tissue in humans focused on its progressive atrophy with age and its apparent importance for cold-exposed workers. However, the use of positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose tracer [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) made it possible to begin characterizing the possible function of BAT in adult humans, and whether it could play a role in the prevention or treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review focuses on the in vivo functional characterization of human BAT, the methodological approaches applied to examine these features and addresses critical gaps that remain in moving the field forward. Specifically, we describe the anatomical and biomolecular features of human BAT, the modalities and applications of non-invasive tools such as PET and magnetic resonance imaging coupled with spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) to study BAT morphology and function in vivo, and finally describe the functional characteristics of human BAT that have only been possible through the development and application of such tools.

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